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Public Management & Finance

This field looks at the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of government management and leadership, providing valuable insights into making government work better for everyone. Notable areas of the School of Public Affairs faculty expertise include local government, budget and finance, disaster and emergency management, healthy and sustainable communities, and social equity and representation in government. Our alumni serve in government positions across Colorado, the nation, and the world.


Latest News on Public Management & Finance


Alumni Stories

Our School of Public Affairs alumni make a huge impact in Colorado and beyond! Read their stories.


  • Kharis Eppstein Headshot 2 (1)

    Six Questions for SPA Alum Kharis Eppstein, Audit Manager at the City and County of Denver Auditor’s Office

    Dec 13, 2023 by Ellen Patterson
    Kharis Eppstein is an audit manager with the City and County of Denver Auditor’s Office and will celebrate her seven-year work anniversary in January 2024. She works primarily on performance audits and has audited topics such as Homeless Encampment Response, Affordable Housing, Parks Management, Mental Health Services in Jail, and the Denver Botanic Gardens. She has also been a field active volunteer with Alpine Rescue Team — a backcountry search and rescue team based out of Evergreen — since 2019 and has been the President since January 2022.
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  • Alaina McWhorter headshot (1)

    Six Questions for SPA Alum Alaina McWhorter, Special Projects Manager at the Denver Department of Parks and Recreation

    Dec 6, 2023 by Ellen Patterson
    Thanks to her credentials from CU Denver as a Master of Public Administration and Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP), Alaina McWhorter catapulted her public service career from an entry- to mid-level financial analyst to a government affairs specialist advising executive leadership at the State Legislature, the City and County of Denver, and numerous nonprofit partners on best practices to achieve policy goals and program outcomes.
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  • Greg LeBlanc

    Six Questions for SPA Alum Greg LeBlanc, Assistant Town Manager of Snowmass Village

    Jul 7, 2023
    Greg LeBlanc joined the Town of Snowmass Village in March of 2022 after serving for five years with the City of Grand Junction, Colorado. Prior positions include serving Boulder County, Colorado and the City and County of Denver. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental biology (Ecology) from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver.
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  • Melinda Pollack 2 (1) (1)

    Six Questions for SPA Alum Melinda Pollack, Managing Director at Blue Meridian Partners

    Jun 23, 2023
    Melinda Pollack, Managing Director at Blue Meridian Partners, provides strategic and executional leadership on critical business priorities and leads innovation efforts which will expand Blue Meridian’s work as it evolves. She explores new philanthropic investment opportunities, leads due diligence on potential Blue Meridian investees, and manages relationships with current investees, with a focus on Place Matters. Melinda earned a BA at George Washington University and an MPA from the University of Colorado, Denver.
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